Cold Spaghetti

We saw WALL-E again over Thanksgiving and I was reminded at how much I like the Peter Gabriel song, “Down to the Earth.”

I don’t have an Ipod.  I don’t use iTunes (yes, I do have a Mac).  I have not bought any online music, ever, except for ordering CDs every once in awhile from Amazon or Basin Street.

So I wondered, if I just want the Peter Gabriel song that I like, how can I get this song?  Where can I listen to it?  Can I listen to it on my interview recorder (which will play MP3s)?  If I buy a used Ipod, will it play there, too?  What if I upgrade the Ipod?  And what happens when I get a laptop — I’m not going to use only my desktop forever?

Paul started trying to explain the facts… which are basically that you never own an MP3, the player you use could be obsolete tomorrow, and compatibility is something you determine through fine print.  I’m not really into buying things I don’t need and not at all into re-buying anything ever.  The whole thing just got me more and more confused.  Then Paul remembered an xkcd cartoon that he said, explained it all very clearly.

Okay.  NOW I understand.

What I wonder now is how people use their Ipods, and what experiences with incompatibility have they had?  Do you have advice or stories on how you enjoy music, where you store it, how much you spend, etc. etc?  Me, the music Luddite, wants to know.

And just ’cause I like it, you can hear it here…

(Writ in the style of “The Piggy in the Puddle” — my favorite children’s story to read out loud.)

See the Mommy.
See her study.
See the Mommy in the middle of her silly little study.
See her cruddy, see her bloody
in the fuddy, duddy, study.
See her muddy, down and ruddy, in the silly little study.

See the Daddy,
chummy-tummy, chummy-tummy, chummy-tummy.
“Don’t you get all crummy, dummy, Mummy, Mummy, Mummy!
You are much to smart and sassy to be in the down and ruddies.
Research is oofy, research is poofy, research is oh-so oofy-poofy!
What you need is lots of HOPE.
But the Mommy answered, “oofy-poofy, oofy-poofy, NOPE!”

See her Babies.
Cutey-tooty, cutey-tooty, cutey-tooty.
“Just stop that writing – lighting, nighting, fighting, miting, citing!
You are much too Mommy Dearest not to be so often near us.
Research is willy, research is nilly, research is oh-so willy-nilly.
What you need is lots of HOPE.”
But the Mommy answered, “willy-nilly, willy-nilly, NOPE.”

Now they all stood by her research,
Right beside the murky research.
And they looked into the ‘search,
What a messy, murky, murch!

There was Mommy, cruddy and bloody,
getting beat up by her study.
She was reading, she was writing,
she was drinking to be wired.
She was listening, she was talking,
she was very very tired.

Said the Daddy,
Mummy-Mommy, you have made me very proud.

Said the Babies,
Mommy-Mummy, you are a sun behind a cloud.

Said the Mommy,
I thank you, but for this I am avowed.

See the Mommy and her study
with her family in a huddy.
They are loving, they are listening,
to the very daunting study.

Said the Mommy,
“Oofy-poofy, willy-nilly, oofy-poofy…
Indeed,” said tired Mommy,
“I think we lack in hope.”

But Daddy and the Babies answered,
“Oofy-poofy — NOPE!”

This post is a Monday Mission, to write a post in the style of a children’s story, as inspired by The Painted Maypole.

I’ve been feeling uninspired lately and needed to remind myself of a few things.

Everyday I blogged for the 30 day month of November.

I like that I was forced to think of something to write each day.

It did take me away from my research in the sense that it was time not committed to translating or considering codes.  But it made me think about writing, and the things I like to write about.  Even if I didn’t get a chance to finish what I wanted to say — more than a few days I just filled what I could.

After reading Alejna’s post about the event, I am realizing that there is a lot more I could have done and gotten out of the experience.  I didn’t log-on to the website at all, didn’t participate.  Maybe I should do it again and see what happens?  Or maybe my family will commit me?

UPDATE: I’m doin’ it for December.  What the hell?